Jack



Sept. 29, 1931.

G. E. WEAVER ET AL JACK Filed June 3, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lSpt. 29,1931. G. E. wEAvER'IET AL JACK Filed Jupe 3, 1?*)2'7 5 Sheets-Sheet 2sePf- 29 1931 G. E. WEAVER ET A.. 1,825,495

JACK

Fileduune s, 1927 s sheets-sheet s Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT ol-Flca CORPORATION F ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD, IILINOIS, .AS- OFSIRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A

JACK

Applicationzled 'June 3, 192?. Serial No. 196,184.

The present invention relates to acks, and more particularly to those ofthegear type such as are frequent/ly employed' for tirechanging inconnection with vehicles and for other work where it is necessary toraise a wheel quickly from the floor to permit the tire-change or forperforming some other use- Aful function.

A leading object of the invention is to pron) vide a jack of thischaracter which can be constructed economically and which will occupybut little space when not in use, and while in a sense the jack is onewhich is actuated by a step-by-step movement, it is constructed tofunction in such a way that it may be lowered one or more steps at atime without involving the employment of any complicated'apparatus.

It is an additional aim of the invention to supply. a jack which willdescend quite low and still have an unusually high lift or ele? va'tingaction, which is essential in jacking up the axle of an automobileequipped with the present-day, large-diameter cross-sectlon, balloontires, and raising the axle high Venough so that the tire may be clearof the Hoor for: interchanging purposes.

To permit those skilled in this art to understand the invention from.its various aspects,

Y vspecililcation, and throughout the several views of which likereference characters have been'employed to designate the same parts, apresent desirable and preferred embodiment of the invention has vbeenillustrated in detail,

the description of the same being presented Fig. 2,' also inperspective, indicates the Ahandle raised suieiently sothat the jack-,i

when not in use, may be wheeled along the iioor or ground on itscarrying-wheels, -its supportingfort, whlch bearsl on the loor bothstructurally and functionally, in' the ac-, companying drawingsforming apart of this d uring the load-elevating action, being llfted oli of thefloor during such travel of the Jack on its wheels only;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the jack with a por- A tion of its handleomitted; i 55 Fig. 4 shows the outer end of the handlev and itsassociated rod; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the ratchet mechanism; Fig. 6is a fragmentary side elevation of the Jack with some of the partsbroken away; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the transverse screw-shaft..

vBy reference to these drawings, it will be' perceived that the new andimproved structure includes a main-frame, characterized 11 as a whole,composed of a pair of o'set side frames or castings 12, 12cross-connected together and held spaced apartintermediate their ends bya bolt 13 and an intervening sleeve 10, such separated members 12,12having bearlngs 14, 14 at their front ends for the accommodation of atransverse xshatt 15 equlpped at its opposite ends with carryingl wheels16, 16, each such frame-element 12, at its other kend, having afoot4 17adapted to bear on the ground or floor during the I'load lifting orlowering operation of the de= vice.

An internal-gear segmentmember 1.8, havso' -ing the gear-teeth 19 on theupper side of its C lower curved portion 21, is ulcrumed between thespacedframe-parts 12, 12 on al vcross-shaft 22 supported in alignedbearings in such spaced elements, the member 18 hav- 85 I ing aforwardly-extended arm 23 on which a load-engaging saddle or seat 24 ishinged at 25, the substantial horizontality of which is maintained by adoublelink 26,26 pivoted at one endy at 27 ltoa logr projection on the90 saddle, and pivoted at Vits other endl at v28 on the frame.Obviously, as' the sector or segment is rocked -about its fulcrum, thesaddle will be correspondingly raised or lowered.

The gear-teeth 19 are in mesh with those of a pinion or gear 29 v( seeFig, 7 having end journals 31, 31 revoluble and slidable lengthwise inbearings 32, 32 in the frame-elementsl 1.2, 12, apconning disc33 beingsecured to 100 one end of the gear and overlapping the outer side faceof the corresponding bearing part of the side-frame.

Internally, the gear 29 is screw-threaded for the mating, threaded,central portion of a shaft 34, one protruding end of which has aratchet-wheel keyed thereon, a. smaller ratchet-wheel 36 with slightlyundercut teeth being free to turn on the shaft and having friction discsor washers 37, 37, likewise v free to turn on the shaft, interposedbetween its opposite side faces and the inner face of the hub of theratchet-wheel 35, on the one hand, and the adjacent end of the gear 29,on the other hand.

In a cavity 38 in the gear 29, a coiled spring 39 encircles anunthreaded part of the shaft, one end of which is fastened to the shaft,the opposite end-being secured in the gear, whereby the spring tends toturn the gear on the shaft, and, by reason of the threaded engagementbetween the two, automatically takes up any slack in the friction meansspecified.

A handle 41, of any suitable length, has a bifurcated end 42 hinged orfulcrumed on the shaft 22 outside of the side-frames 12, 12, one of suchhandle-sections 42, having a lateral extension 43 overlying the adjacentsideframe, with the top edge of which it comes into contact to liftthefeet 17, 17 off of the ground or ioor when it is desired to easily rollthe jack to a new position, but during the load elevating or loweringoperation such lug 43 is out of contact with the side-frame.

A double-ended pawl 44, having two ends or fingers 45 and 46, isfulcrumed on the handle 41 at 47, such terminal parts 45 and 46 beingeach adapted to co-operate individually with the larger ratchet-wheel35, a yoke 48 being pivoted or hinged on the same pin 47 and having acoiled, contractile spring 49 connected at its upper end to the yoke andat its lower end to the center part of the duplex pawl, that portion ofthe yoke extended over and down inside of the divided handle having abent rod 51 hinged thereon at 50, the rod projecting beyond the free endof the handle, as presented in Fig. 4, where it is supplied with anoperating knob 52.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that by pushing in the rod 51 o rby pulling it out, the yoke will be rocked manually to position thespring 49 to hold the one or the other pawl end 45 or 46 in co-operativerelation with the companion actuating ratchet-wheel, the latter beingturned, by whichever pawl `end is active, during the down stroke only'of the vertically oscillatory handle.

The holding ratchet-wheel 36 is supplied with a pawl or dog 53 fulcrumedat 54 on the frame 12, being pulled to its work by a coiled spring 55secured at one end to the dog and fastened at its other end at 56 to theframeelement 12, such pawl also having a /leafspring 57 fixedly mountedthereon, with an i outstanding tail portion below the edge of theadjacent handle member 42, whereby, when the handle is raised somewhatabove normal operating position, it will tension such spring, tending toretract the pawl from the ratchet-wheel as soon as the load on theappliance has been reduced sufficiently to permit such result.

The improved jack operates practically as follows:

foot on the segment-member 18, as pictured in Fig. 1, the saddle,without having recourse to the relatively-slow step-by-step but powerfulelevating mechanism, is caused to ascend quickly until it strikes theaxle, that is to say, until it engages the load.l

During such preliminary raising of the saddle, the teeth of theratchet-wheels ride idly under their companion dogs, as will be readilyunderstood.

In order to lift the load step-by-step by the powerful pawl-and-ratchetmechanism, thereafter, the operator rocks the handle up and down, eachdescent of such handle causing a partial rotation of the ratchet-wheel35 and the shaft 34 to which it iskeyed with corresponding elevation ofthe load-saddle and load` and each upward swing permitting the pawl toengage a new tooth of the ratchetwheel.

Before such elevating action begins, however. during the first part ofthe turning of the shaft, owing to the screw-connection between theshaft v34 and gear 29, the ratchetwheel 35 is pulled inwardly squeezingthe elements 36, 37, 37 between itself and the gear until the partsbecome suiiiciently jammed or pressed together preventing further inwardtravel of the part 35, and thereafter the members 34, 35, 36, 37, 37 and29 turn as a unit and the load is raised in the usual way through thecustomary functions of the alternately-acting, actuating and holdingratchet-wheels and their pawls.

During such step-by-step elevation of the saddle and load, the latterare held against descent, when the pawl 45 is raised to engagel anewtooth, by'reason ofthe established fric"- tion between the associatedmembers and due also to the coaction of pawl 53 with its holdingratchet-wheel 36.

When, it is desired to lower the load stepby-step, the knob 52 is pushedin, thereby rendering the pawl 45 inoperative and the dro of the load.

pawl 46 active, and, accordingly, when the handle has been rocked downsufficiently to turn the screw-shaft enough to reduce the frictionbetween the ratch-wheel 35 and the 5 gear` 29, through the interveningmembers,

until it is slightly less'than `the load, then i the latter by gravitywill turn the gear 29 and the ear-segment 18, and the load and saddlewill descend adually, the remaining friction automatically increasingandI acting as a brake to terminate the descent and at the same timepreventing .a sudden hen the ratchet-wheel 35 is thus turned to rotatethe screw-shaft in the gear to lessen the friction, this is readilyaccomplished because the ratchet-wheel 36 is prevented from turning byits awl and there is adequate friction between t e parts to hold thegear 29 stationarg7 until the'screw-shaft has been turned enoug toreduce the friction the required amount. A In this way, by the upwardand downward movements of t e handle, the load may be caused to descendstep by step by reason of the alternate reduction and increase of thespecified friction.

Stated a little differently, to lower the load, the operator by means ofthe handle reduces the friction to a point where the load ispermitted-to descend, but in so doing it gradually increases thefriction to an amount which prevents further descent. Thereupon theoperator again works the handle to lessen the friction whereupon arepetition of the stated actions occur. This is continued the necessarynumber of times.

After the load has been substantially lesscned by such descent, as whenthe tire engages the floor, the operator may lift the handle abovenormal position, thus tensioning the leaf-spring 57, and, as soon as theload is sufficiently reduced lto permit such spring to retract the pawl53, it will-do so, and the saddle will automatically drop to itslowermost position. l

Obviously, the invention is not limited and restricted to, theparticular embodiment presented, and many more or less radical changesmay be incorporated in the structure illustrated and described withoutdeparture from the heart of the invention as dened by the a pendedclaims, and without the loss of any of its material benefits.

We claim: y Y i l. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, aload lifting and lowering arm fulcrumed on lsaid frame, a handlerockable on said frame in substantially the same veril() tical plane ofmovement of said arm, and means connectlng said handle and armselectively causing the latter to rock upwardly or downwardly uponsubstantially the same Y. downward movement of said handle.

65. "2. In a jack, the combination of a support'- ing-frame, a loadlifting and lowering saddle, an actuating handle on said frame, andoperating means between said handle and saddle including gear means, apawl and ratchet-wheel, friction means between said ratchet-wheel andgear means, and a screwshaft connection between said ratchet-wheel ingwith said segment, a pawl and ratchetwheel, friction means between saidratchetwheel and pinion, and a screw-shaft connection between saidratchet-Wheel and pinion, said latter connection tightening saidfriction means to permit the elevation of the saddle and loosening saidfriction means to permit the descent of the saddle. v

4. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering saddle mounted on said frame, an operating handle on saidframe, and actuating means connecting said handle and saddle, includinga ratchet-wheel, a double-pawl means on said handle, and means to shiftsaid pawl means to render either of its two pawl parts operative on saidratchet-wheel, whereby the saddle may be selectively raised or loweredduring like movements of the handle in the same direction. V

5. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, carrying-wheels forsaid frame an internal-gear segment fulcrumed on said frame, a loadlifting and lowering saddle hinged on an extension ofl said segment, a

.link connecting said saddle and frame to maintain substantialhorizontalit of said saddle, an internally screw-three. ed' pinion inmesh with said'segment and revoluble inV said frame, a screw-threadedshaft in said pinion, means to prevent axial movement of said pinion insaid frame i'n one direction, a torsional spring having its oppositeends engaging said pinion and shaft and tendingto turn the former onthelatter, an actuating ratchet-wheel fixed lto'said shaft,'a holdingratchet-wheel free to turn on said shaft between said actuatingratchet-wheel and said pinion, friction discs between said holdingratchet-wheel and said actuating ratchetwheel and said pinion, anoperating handle fulcrumed on said frame, la double-pawl hinged on saidhandle, rocking spring means on said handle adapted to render the one orthe other end of said double-pawl operative on saidactuatingratchet-wheel, a spring-operated pawl coating with said holdingratch-7 et-wheel, and spring means rendered oper-`V ative when saidhandle is in 'an abnormal position tending to withdraw said pawl fromsaid holdingratchet-heel, said handle having a projection overlying saidframe whereby the handle when raised sufficiently will lift the framefrom the floor permitting the ack to he rolled on said carrying-wheels.

G. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, carrying-wheels forsaid frame, an internal-gear segment fulcrumed on said frame, a loadlifting and lowering saddle hinged on an extension of said segment, alink connecting said saddle and frame to maintain substantialhorizontality of said saddle` au internally screw-threaded pinion inmesh with said segment and revoluble in said frame, a screw-threadedshaft in said pinion, means to prevent axial movement of said pinion insaid frame in one direction, a torsional spring having its opposite endsengaging said pinion and shaft and tending to turn the former on thelatter, an actuating ratchet-wheel fixed to said shaft, a holdingratchet-wheel free to turn on said shaft between said actuatingratchet-wheel and said pinion, friction discs between said holdingratchet-wheel and said actuating ratchetwheel and said pinion, anoperating handle fulcrumed on said frame. a double-pawl hinged on saidhandle, rocking spring means on said handle adapted to render the one orthe other end of said double-pawl operative lon said actuatingratchet-wheel, a springoperated pawl coacting with said holdingratchet-wheel, and spring means rendered operative when said handleis inan abnormal position tending'to withdraw"said pawl from said holdingratchet-Wheel.

7. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, carrying-wheels forsaid frame, an internal-gear segment fulcrumed on said frame, a loadlifting and lowering saddle hinged on an extension of said segment, alink connecting said saddle and frame to maintain substantialhorizontality of said saddle, an internally screw-threaded pinion inmesh with said segment and revoluble in said frame, a screw-threadedshaft in said pinion, means to prevent axial movement of said pinion insaid frame in one direction, a torsional spring having its opposite endsengaging said pinion and shaft and tending to turn the former on thelatter, an actuating ratchetwheel fixed to said shaft, avholdingratchetwheel free to turn on said shaft between said actuatingratchet-wheel and said pinion, friction discs between said holdingratchet-wheel and said actuating ratchet-wheel and said pinion, anoperating handle fulcrumed on said frame, a double-pawl hinged on saidhandle, rocking spring means on said handle adapted to render the one orthe other end of said double-pawl operative on said actuatingratchet-wheel, and a spring-operated pawl on said frame coacting withsaid holding ratchet-wheel.

8. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, an internal-gearsegment fulcrumed on said frame, a load lifting and lowering saddleactuated by said segment, a pinion oscillatory on said frame and in meshwith the teeth of said segment, a shaft having a screw-threadedconnection with said pinion, a pawl and operating ratchet-wheel to turnsaid shaft, a holding ratchet-wheel free to turn on said shaft, a pawlon said frame coaoting With said holding ratchet-wheel, friction meansassociated with said holding ratchet-wheel, and a torsion springconnected to said shaft and pinion tending to take up slack in saidfriction means by turning the shaft and pinion relatively to 011eanother.

9. In a ack, the combination of a support:

ing-frame, a load lifting and lowering member movably mounted on saidframe, a movable handle on said frame, friction means to hold saidmember and its load against descent, and means operated by said handleto cause an alternate decrease-and increase in said friction whereby topermit such member and its load to descend step by step.

l0. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering member movably mounted on said frame, a movable handle, andoperating means between said handle and member including a gear, a shafthaving screw-threaded connection with said gear, an actuatingratchet-wheel fixed to said shaft, a pawl co-operating with saidratchet-wheel, a holding ratchet-wheel between said gear and actuatingratchet-wheel and free to turn on said shaft, and a holding pawlcoacting with said holding ratchetwheel, whereby the screw-threadedconnection may be tightened to permit the elevation of the load andloosened to effect the descent of the load.

1l. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering member movably mounted on said frame, a movable handle, andmeans whereby said handle may raise and lower said member including arevolubly mounted element, a shaft having a screw-threaded connectionwith said element, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said shaft, means wherebysaid handle may turn said ratchet-wheel step by step in eitherdirection, a holding ratchet-wheel free to turn on said shaft adapted tobe clamped between said first ratchet-wheel and said element, and apawlv coacting with said holding ratchetwheel.

12. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, means thereon toraise and lower a load, a handle movably mounted on said frame adaptedby its movements both to raise or to lower said means, a holdingratchet-wheel for said means, a pawl on said frame normally cooperatingwith said ratchetwheel, and means permitting said handle, when shiftedto a position beyond its normal range of movement for raising orlowering the load, to release said holding-pawl from said ratchet-wheelto allow said lowering means to drop to its lowermost position when theload thereon has decreased suiiiciently to permit such pawl retraction.

13. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, means thereon toraise and lower -a load, a handle movably mounted on said frame adaptedby its movements bot-h to raise or tol lower said means, a holdingratchet-wheel for said means, a pawl on said frame, a spring tending tohold said pawl in coacting relation with said ratchet-wheel, a secondspring associated with said pawl, and means to tension said secondspring suiiiciently to overpower said rst spring when said handle isshifted to a position beyond its normal range of movement for raising orlowering the load, whereby to release said holding pawl from saidratchet wheel to allow' said lowering means to drop to its lowermostposition when the load thereon is decreased sulficiently to permit suolipawl retraction.

14. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering arm fulcrumed on said frame, said arm having an internal-gearsegment rigid and movable therewith concentrically with said fulcrum, asaddle on said arm adapted to engage the load, a pinion revoluble onsaid frame about a. fixed axis and in mesh with said segment, anoperating-handle fulcrugned on said frame, and actuating meansconnecting said handle and pinion, whereby the load may be raised 0rlowcr'ed,by the rocking of. said handle.

15. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering arm Jr'ulcrumed on said frame, said arm having an internal-gearsegmentrigid and movable therewith concentrically with said fulcrum, asaddle on said arm adapted to engage the load, a pinion revoluble onsaid frame about a fixed axis and in mesh with said segment, anoperating-handle fulcrumed on said frame, and' actuating means dependenton friction to operatively connect said handle and pinion, whereby theload may be raised or lowered by the rocking of said handle.

16. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a` load liftingandlowering member movably mounted on said frame, a movableoperating-handle on said frame, friction-means, a ratchet and pawlload-holding means associated with said friction-means operating-meansconnecting said handle and member through said friction-means, wherebythe load may be raised, and means actuated by said handle to decreasethe friction of said friction-means and thereby temporarily render saidholding-means inoperative.

able operating-handle on said frame, actuat-h ing means connecting saidhandle and loadmember including friction-means and loadholding means inseries relaftion `through which said handle operates to raise the loadin which elevated position the load is sustained by said load-holdingmeans, and'means operated by said handle to decrease the friction ofsaid friction-means torender said load-holding means temporarilyinactive to permit descent of the load.

18. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering member movably mounted on said frame, a movableoperating-handle on said frame, actuating means connecting said handleand load-member including 'riction-means and load-holding means inseries relation through which said handle operates to raise the load inwhich elevated position the load is sustained by said load-holdingmeans, and means operated by said handle to decrease the friction ofsaid friction-means to render said load-holding means temporarilyinactive to permit descent of the load, said handle-operated meansincreasing said friction upon descent of the load to render saidloadholding means again operative requiring another actuation of saidhandle to effect the next descent step of the load, whereby the load maybe caused to descend in successive steps.

19. In a jack, the combination of a supporting-frame, a load lifting andlowering member movably mounted on said frame, a movableloperating-handle on said frame, actuating means connecting said handleand load-member -including frictionmeans and load-holding means inseries relation through which downward movement said handle operates toraise the load in which elevated position the load is sustained by saidloadholding means, and means operated by downward movement of saidhandle to decrease the friction of said friction-means to render saidloadholding means temporarily inactive to permit descent of the load,said handleoperated means increasing said friction upon descent oftheload to render said loadholding means again operative requiring anotherdownward actuation of said handle to effect the next descent stepvof theload, whereby the load may be caused to descend in successive steps.

In witness whereof we havehereunto set our hands.

GAILARD E. WEAVER. HARRY C. BUFFINGTON.

